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FIRST STEPS IN ORGANIZING 
PLAYGROUNDS 



LEE F. HANMER 



Charities Publication Committee 
New York 



10 cents per single copy prepaid. $8.00 per hundred copies postage prepaid. 
$7.00 per hundred copies expressage collect. 



RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION PUBLICATION. 

FIRST STEPS IN ORGANIZING 
PLAYGROUNDS 



LEE Ffl^ANMER 

Field Secretary of the Playground Association of America 



Charities Publication Committee 

105 East 22d Street 

New York 

MAY, 1908 






Gift 



7 N'08 



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LC ^ntrol Number 
tmp96 0263 68 



FIRST STEPS IN ORGANIZING PLAY- 
GROUNDS. 

Statement. — The conditions under which play- 
grounds may be started vary so greatly in differ- 
ent cities, that it is useless to attempt to fix upon 
any one plan that can be said to be most desirable. 
Also it is a question whether any person or com- 
mittee has gone far enough into this subject to be 
in a position to recommend any set plan as the 
one sure to bring the best results. 

It seems therefore that the object of this article 
can best be gained by giving a brief statement of 
the different plans that have been tried, and by 
drawing such inferences as may be possible from 
available experience. 

The purpose is to furnish helpful suggestions to 
committees and associations that are planning to 
begin or extend public playgrounds in their cities. 

Forms of Administration. — The forms of admin- 
istration that have met with some degree of success 
are: 

I. Voluntary. 

a. A local society or club working through 

a committee. 

b. Several societies or clubs working 

through a joint committee. 

c. A playground association made up of 

interested persons, with committees 
for different departments of the work. 



2. Board of Education. 

a. A committee appointed by the Board to 

conduct summer playgrounds. 

b. A department of playgrounds and rec- 

reation centers. 

c. A department of hygiene. 

3. Municipal. 

a. A playground commission appointed by 

the mayor or city council. 

b. The park department working through 

its superintendent or a committee. 

c. The city council, by delegating the work 

to any city department, such as the 
Department of Health, or the Depart- 
ment of Public Works. 

4. Combinations. 

a. A playground commission appointed by 

the mayor, supported by both city ap- 
propriations and private contributions. 

b. A local playground association support- 

ed by both private contributions and 
city appropriations. 

c. A local society or club with the assist- 

ance and co-operation of the Board 
of Education or the City Council. 

The above plans have been put into operation in 
different cities by the methods that are here given 
somewhat in detail. 

1 -a. A Local Society or Club Working 
Through a Committee. (See Troy, N. Y., 1907.) 

The movement is usually started by some member 

4 



of the society bringing up the matter and getting 
a committee appointed to see what can be done. 

The committee will do well at the outset to enlist 
the interest of the local press, and to see that articles 
are published on the benefits and needs of play- 
grounds, what other cities are doing, and what this 
city might do. The committee should then secure 
all available information on the sites, equipment, 
supervision, and plans of operation. The National 
Association is in a position to give assistance in this. 

After the plans have been pretty definitely worked 
out, a statement of what is proposed is usually made 
public and suggestions invited. A free lecture on 
playgrounds, illustrated by lantern slides, always 
helps to enlist public interest. An experienced 
supervisor should be engaged some weeks in ad- 
vance, if possible, in order that the committee may 
have the benefit of his assistance in formulating 
plans. This is often done by correspondence but 
the supervisor should be on the ground a few days 
prior to the opening. 

It is well to make a modest beginning and to be 
sure that the first undertaking will be successful, 
but it has been found an aid to success to start with 
at least two playgrounds in order that there may be 
a little rivalry in attendance, appearance, and things 
accomplished. The success or failure of a play- 
ground depends very largely upon the supervisor 
and the teachers. The personality of those in charge 
is of the first importance for the playground stands 
primarily for character building. 

i-b. Several Societies or Clubs Working 
Through a Joint Committee. (See Cleveland, 
O., 1907.) 

It is fortunate when two or more clubs or socie- 



ties are willing to unite their efforts for playgrounds 
by working through a joint committee. 

Small committees have succeeded best, but it is 
important that each society be represented. 

The method of procedure is usually similar to 
that in i-a, the only difference being that the com- 
mittee's powers need to be agreed upon very defi- 
nitely and in detail. The amount of money that 
each society is willing to invest in the undertaking 
must be stated in advance. 

Clubs can give no better evidence of their interest 
in the welfare of their community than by uniting 
in an undertaking of this kind. 

i-c. A Playground Association Made Up of 
Interested Persons, with Committees for Dif- 
ferent Departments of the Work. (See Roch- 
ester, N. Y., 1907.) 

This is the plan that has been most uniformly 
successful. It stands on its own feet and is not 
responsible to any other body. It is in a position 
to enlist public interest and support as a private 
club could not do. 

An association of this sort is usually formed at 
a public meeting called by a few individuals who 
are specially interested in the matter. It has been 
found useful to precede such a meeting with a num- 
ber of newspaper articles dealing with the advan- 
tages of playgrounds and the local need ; it has not 
worked well, however, to make any detailed state- 
ment in advance of what is proposed to be done. 
This is likely to invite objection before the plans 
are clearly understood, and also, people like to have 
a hand in planning a project to which they are to 
give assistance. 



After the organization is formed and officers have 
been elected, it is the usual plan to appoint commit- 
tees to look after the various departments of the 
work such as finance, membership, grounds and 
equipment, supervision, and publicity. There 
should be a carefully selected executive committee 
with full power to deal with all matters in the inter- 
vals between meetings of the association. 

A carefully prepared annual report giving a sum- 
mary of work accomplished, funds used, and plans 
for the next season, have been found to be very 
useful in retaining and extending public interest. 

After the utility of playgrounds has been demon- 
strated it is usually possible to get the city to assume 
the expense of maintenance and supervision. This 
does not mean that the work of the association is fin- 
ished, it is rather the ideal condition for its work. 
A playground association can be of great usefulness 
to a community by co-operating with the city in the 
selection of sites, training of teachers, and general 
extension of the work. 



2-a. A Committee Appointed by the Board 
of Education to Conduct Summer Playgrounds. 
(See Providence, R. L, 1907.) 

The natural location of playgrounds is in connec- 
tion with the school buildings, and it is logical for 
the Board of Education to equip, maintain, and 
supervise them. 

School boards seldom take the initiative in such 
matters but frequently they have responded to a 
popular request that summer playgrounds be 
maintained. 

The first stage is usually to appoint a committee 

8 



on summer playgrounds and give it certain authori- 
ty in the expenditure of funds for equipment, main- 
tenance, and supervision. 

It is sometimes necessary to secure in addition to 
the school yards, vacant lots, athletic field, park 
spaces, etc. 

The work of getting the playgrounds under way 
is similar to that of the committee described in i-a, 
except that it is not necessary to give so much 
attention to publicity and it is not necessary to hold 
public meetings. An announcement through the 
schools is sufficient. 

The problem of administration is simplified by the 
possibility of using the conveniences of the school 
buildings in connection with the playground, and, 
in case industrial classes are also to be conducted, 
the schoolrooms are available for such purpose. 

The plan has the advantage of being a part of the 
public school system, and consequently it is not 
looked upon by the people as a charity. 



2-b. A Department of Playgrounds and Rec- 
reation Centers. (See New York City, 1907.) 

This is likely to be a development of 2-a, but is 
sometimes a result of the work done under the i-a 
plan. 

It has the dignity of being a regular department 
of the schools, and as such is in a position to de- 
velop the work in a permanent way. It is also pos- 
sible through such a department, to get certain 
regulations adopted by the school board providing 
for play space in connection with all new school 
buildings, securing roof playgrounds, etc. 




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2-c. A Department of Hygiene. (See Bos- 
ton, Mass., 1908, making a start in this direction.) 

The ideal arrangement is a department of hygiene 
that shall include school gymnastics, summer play- 
grounds, recreation and social centers, athletics, 
games and folk dancing, medical inspection, heat- 
ing, lighting, and ventilation, adjustment of school 
furniture, and the regulation of text book printing 
in respect to size of letters, length of line, spacing, 
etc. 

There are forces at work in this direction, and 
certain phases of this plan are being tried. 

With the work being done by separate depart- 
ments there is sure to be duplication and omission, 
instead of it being correlated and systematized in 
a way that would make it economical and efficient. 

3-a. A Playground Commission Appointed by 
the Mayor or the City Council. (See Newark, 
N. J., 1907.) 

The state of New Jersey has a law under which 
the mayors of the different cities are authorized to 
appoint playground commissions that shall have 
power to purchase, equip and maintain public play- 
grounds. These commissions are limited in their 
work because they can do no more than the appro- 
priation of funds will permit. 

There is no reason why this plan should not be 
followed in states where such a law does not exist, 
provided that those interested can induce the local 
administration to authorize the appointment of such 
a commission. 

The course usually followed is for the commis- 
sion to secure the services of an experienced super- 

11 



visor to aid them in selecting sites and mapping 
out a plan with estimates of expense for carrying 
on the work for a stated number of weeks during 
the summer. 

Often the school board will co-operate by grant- 
ing the use of the school buildings and grounds, as 
will the park department in the use of park spaces. 

3-b. The Park Department Working 
Through Its Superintendent or a Committee. 
(See Minneapolis, Minn., 1907. ) 

Many cities have been provided with an excellent 
system of playgrounds through the active interest 
of the park department. 

There is danger under this plan of stopping with 
the grading and equipping of grounds without mak- 
ing any provision for supervisors and teachers. 
Such playgrounds not only fall short of their possi- 
bilities for usefulness, but frequently become pub- 
lic nuisances. 

There is no reason why a park department should 
not furnish both supervisors and grounds, in fact 
some of the most successful playground systems 
of the country are administered in this way. 

If funds are limited it is best to equip only such 
grounds as it is possible to provide supervisors for. 

3-c. The City Council, by Delegating the 
Work to Any City Department, Such as the 
Department of Health, or the Department of 
Public Works. (See Buffalo, N. Y., 1907.) 

This is the least desirable way of conducting mu- 
nicipal playgrounds, but it is often the intermediate 
step in transferring work started by voluntary 
organizations to city control. 




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The best results under this plan have been se- 
cured by delegating the management of the play- 
grounds to a competent director who shall be 
responsible to the department by which the play- 
grounds are maintained. Some very creditable 
work is being done in this way. 

4-a. A Playground Commission Appointed 
by the Mayor, Supported by Both City Appro- 
priations and Private Contributions. (See 
Trenton, N. J., 1908.) 

The combination plans are all temporary arrange- 
ments, made use of to tide over some special situa- 
tion ; or they may be the transition stage, from one 
form of administration to another. 

The 4-a plan happens when a city is unable to 
supply the necessary funds to carry on the work laid 
out by the commission. It has its good features in 
that the public, being called upon for assistance, 
feels more of a personal ownership and interest in 
the undertaking through personal contribution for 
its support. A common means of raising the nec- 
essary funds is by getting schools or Y. M. C. A.'s 
to give benefit exhibitions, announcing the exact 
purpose for which the funds so raised are to be 
expended. 

4-b. A Local Playground Association Sup- 
ported by Both Private Contributions and City 
Appropriations. (See Pittsburg, Pa., 1907.) 

Municipal support usually comes as a result of 
volunteer playground work successfully conducted. 
It is sometimes arranged so that the administration 
machinery set up by the playground association shall 

14 



continue to handle the work, the city appropriating 
a fixed sum annually for its support. Sometimes 
the school board will also make an appropriation to 
be used in the same way. 

4-c. A Local Society or Club with the As- 
sistance AND CO-OPERATION OF THE BOARD OF 

Education or the City Council. (See Mont- 
clair, N. J., 1907.) 

This plan is similar to that under 4-b, except that 
the, assistance from the city or the school board, 
instead of being in the form of cash, comes through 
the use of the city property such as sections of park 
land, school yards, and school buildings. These 
grounds are sometimes equipped by the city also; 
the society or club providing for the supervision 
only. 

General. — No matter how the beginning is made, 
there are certain considerations that apply to all 
and must be dealt with at the outset. 

1. Sites. — Naturally the first playground will be 
located where there is the greatest need. This is 
usually in congested or troublesome sections. They 
should not be limited to such sections, however, 
for they are needed by all classes of children. 

It is well at the outset to lay out a definite and 
comprehensive plan for the whole city and work 
toward that ideal. 

The necessary space should be secured before 
land values have increased to a prohibitive price and 
the desirable locations have been developed for 
other purposes. An early and exhaustive study 
of sites is well worth while; with attention given 
to possibilities offered by filling in low places, se- 



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curing abandoned cemeteries, etc. Plans should 
also be made for large spaces for athletic fields, base- 
ball grounds and golf courses. This is what has 
been termed "heading off the slums. " 

The playground plan for Washington drawn up 
by the Organization Committee of the Playground 
Association of America in 1906 is given below as a 
suggestion. 

1. "It seems to us obvious that the Playground 
system of every city should represent a plan which 
would provide a playground within reasonable 
walking distance of every child. Our reasons for 
this are that play under proper conditions is essential 
to the health, as well as the physical, social, and 
moral well-being of the child. Hence, they are a 
necessity for all children — as much as schools. If 
they are a necessity, they must be so located that 
all the children can reach them. 

2. It has seemed to us also that the beautiful tri- 
angles and circles and ornamental parks, which 
obtain so plentifully in Washington are almost neg- 
ligible so far as their utility as playgrounds is con- 
cerned. None but the very small children can use 
them for play. Organized games can be played in 
none of them. 

3. For school playgrounds the most careful can- 
vass which we have been able to make of the needs 
of the children makes it evident that the present 
London requirement is the minimum amount that 
should be allowed. This is thirty square feet of 
playground for each child in the school. 

4. Inasmuch as public education is now recog- 
nized as a proper function for public support, and 

17 



playgrounds are a necessity for the well being of 
children, we believe that they . should be on land 
owned by the city, and also that they should be op- 
erated at the expense of the city. We believe that 
it is necessary that there should be at least one pub- 
lic playground in each of the school districts of 
Washington. This would provide for not less than 
two acres of playground for each 4,000 children. 

5. The most extended experiments which have 
been carried on in recent years indicate that the 
largest usefulness of those fields can not be reached 
without the existence of playground buildings. 
Notably in Chicago and Boston this has been dem- 
onstrated. In view, however, of the necessity of the 
adaptation of these buildings to particular local con- 
ditions, it would probably be wise to erect one such 
building and test it in all details before recommend- 
ing the general plan to the city. 

6. The playgrounds do not meet the needs of the 
older boys. It has been found practically impossible 
to care for the older boys on the same grounds on 
which the little ones are cared for. Hence, it seems 
to us that it is essential to have athletic fields. In 
our judgment, one for each of the four sections of 
the city would probably be adequate. The present 
park system of Washington is entirely unprovided 
with athletic fields. The hours of labor in Wash- 
ington are shorter than in other cities. Hence, we 
are inclined to believe that there is peculiar need for 
these athletic fields. 

The playground building which is proposed for 
Washington, to be operated in connection with the 
Playgrounds, is to contain, on the first floor, a play- 

18 



room for the small children, toilets and shower and 
tub baths. The second floor to contain a branch of 
the public library, a small reading room, an audi- 
torium which could be used for any sort of neigh- 
borhood meeting or for social purposes, and three or 
four club rooms. The top floor is to be devoted 
entirely to a gymnasium. 

In the opinion of the Playground Committee of 
Washington, to group thus in one building a public 
bath, a public comfort station, a library, an audi- 
torium, a play room and a gymnasium, has these 
advantages : 

1st. It secures a great saving in the cost of sites 
and buildings over the erection of these features 
separately. 

2nd. The operating expenses are much less. 

3rd. Each feature of the building contributes to 
the popularity of the others, as shown by the experi- 
ence of Boston and Chicago where they are used to 
the fullest extent. 

4th. It is more convenient for the people to have 
these utilities together than to have to pass from 
building to building to make use of more than one 
of them. 

5th. By bringing the people of any community 
together thus in a common center, not only are they 
kept away from the saloon and evil influences, but 
a strong incentive is given to the forming of neigh- 
borly and community feeling/' 

2. Equipment. — If funds are specially limited it 
is quite possible to make a beginning with home- 
made apparatus and even a small amount of that; 

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but apparatus of this sort is neither so durable nor 
attractive as that furnished by the machine com- 
panies. If it is possible at the beginning to equip 
the playground in a permanent way, it is well 
worth while to get first class apparatus. It is pos- 
sible, however, to start a playground with a sand 
pile. 

The following is a statement of a set of home- 
made apparatus that has been used with such a de- 
gree of success that the city is likely to take over 
the work : 

i Shute the shutes 

4 Box swings for small children under 

shelter 
4 Sand bins for small children under 

shelter 
4 Large swings 
i Horizontal bar 
3 Teters 
i Jump pit 

i Basket ball ground and equipment 
2 Quoit grounds 
Besides bean bags, skipping ropes, etc. 



The expense of equipment was: 



Brackets for lamps, wires, etc 

Hauling 

Keys for strong box 
Carpenter and laborer 

Lumber 

Incidentals .... 
Rope, pails, dippers, etc 



$27-55 
3.88 

.30 

70.30 

96.77 

1.86 

12.57 



Total $213.66 

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3. Plan of Operation. — The first consideration is 
the length of time that the work shall be conducted 
and the hours during which the grounds shall be 
open. 

The- period is usually from six to eight weeks, 
and the hours from 1.30 to 5.30 p. m. When occu- # 
pation classes are also conducted they are generally 
held in the forenoon from 9 to 12. 

Some playgrounds have two sessions per day each 
made up of occupation and play periods. 

The most successful teachers plan each day's pro- 
gram carefully in advance, but do not of necessity 
hold rigidly to it. Much must be left to develop- 
ment upon the playground, but a prepared program 
serves as a reserve supply. 

The boys can be kept busy with the apparatus, 
the games, and athletics ; the girls will be interested 
in games, folk dances, singing, etc. ; the smaller 
children both boys and girls, find constant amuse- 
ment with the swings, see-saws, gymnastic games, 
singing games, and story telling; and the little tots 
can be kept busy with the sand pile, baby swings, and 
kindergarten stories. 

The following list of games is made up from 
printed schedules of successful playgrounds: 



PLAYGROUND AND VACATION SCHOOL GAflES. 



Skipaway. 
Fox and Farmer. 
Bull in the Ring, or 
Bear in the Ring. 



Bean Bag Race. 
Bean Bag Board. 



Center Base, 
Hand Ball. 
Pass Ball. 
Touch Ball. 
Beetle Chase and 
Wander Ball. 



Memory Exercise - 

"Rainbow." 
Where is it? 
Run About Race. 



Circle Games. 

Numbers Change. 
Three Deep, or 
Third Man. 



Squat Tag in a Circle. 
Cat and Mouse. 



Bean Bag Games. 

Bean Bags in a Circle. 
Bag Passing Back- 
ward. 

Ball Games. 

Catch-Ball. 

Arch Ball. 
Medicine Ball. 
Wander Ball. 
Dodge Ball. 



Duck on a Rock. 
Bag Passing Side- 
ward. 



Circle Catch Ball. 
Teacher. 

Days of the Week. 
Red Fox and 
White Rabbit. 



The Muffin Man. 

London Bridge. 

Birds. 

A Hunting We Will 

Go 
Round and Round 

the Village. 



School Room Games. 

Racket Catching 

Play. 
Jolly Workmen. 

Singing Games. 

Can You Guess What 
We Are Doing ? 

Little Hare. 

I'm on the King's 
Land. 

Where's Your Shep- 
herd? 



Crossing the Line. 
I Saw. 



Gathering Nuts in 

May. 
Fox and Chickens. 
How-do-you-do? 
Zum-Zum in the 

Garden. 



fliscellaneous Games. 



Chinese Chicken. 
Steeple Chase. 
Relay Race— Single. 
Red Rover, or 

Red Lion. 
Prisoner's Base. 
Chickens. 
How? When? Where? 



Last Pair Pass. 
Dare Base 
Straddle Club. 
Peel Away 
Still Pond, No more 

Moving. 
Serpentine Race. 



The Farmer and the 

Crow. 
Poison. 

Relay Bean Bag Race. 
Have You Seen My 

Sheep? 
Hop Scotch. 
Birds Fly. 



The Old Owl. 



Dancing Topsy. 
Jig Steps 
Virginia Reel. 



Gymnastic notion Songs. 

The Froggies Swim- The Blacksmith. 

ming School 
Our Little Canoes. 

Gymnastic Dancing. 

Brownie Polka. Balance Steps. 

Swedish Folk Dances. Dan Tucker. 
Bohemian Folk Dance. 



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4. Supervision. — It is worse than useless to at- 
tempt to conduct playgrounds without supervisors. 

Important as play may be from the standpoint of 
health and recreation, it is far more important in its 
social aspects. It is the school for citizenship, the 
laboratory where habits are developed that are all 
important. Play in itself is socially neither good 
nor bad, but the mutual relationships involved have 
an ethical effect that may be toward good or toward 
evil ; therefore, we must have play under right con- 
ditions, and the city street is not likely to furnish 
such conditions, nor is the freedom of the country 
sure to do so. The properly supervised playground 
is the solution of the problem. Not_ supervision 
that restricts and robs play of its spontaneity, but 
such supervision as will not tolerate the evils, and 
so regulates and controls that there shall be the 
greatest possible freedom. 

There is a wholesome kind of freedom upon the 
playground because the child must play by the 
rules or be shut out by his playmates or those in 
charge ; therefore if he stays controlling his temper 
and playing according to a fair ideal he is getting 
the right sort of training for citizenship in a free 
country. 

Children may learn much from precept, but habits 
of honesty, loyalty, and fair play that become a real 
part of the character can be secured only through 
practice, and a well supervised playground is a safe 
place in which to practice. 

The paper presented at the Chicago Convention 
in the spring of 1906 by Mrs. Samuel Ammon, treas- 
urer of the Pittsburg Playground Association, con- 
tains so much that is helpful along this line that cer- 
tain parts of it are here given : 

"The estimated cost of one playground including 

2 4 



the salary of two kinder gartners, janitor, equipment 
and supplies for five weeks, is one hundred and fifty 
dollars. The committee or organization or indi- 
vidual members of either ought to furnish that 
amount for the first playground season. Then, not 
at the close of your first playground season, but 
early the following spring, prepare a statement in 
the form of a letter — not a report — of what you 
planned for your one playground and what you suc- 
ceeded in doing. Describe it as you would in a let- 
ter to a friend. Briefly, give the estimated and 
actual expenditure, number of children present each 
day, and the effect upon them. 

"One method of informing yourselves in order 
that you may be able to give very necessary infor- 
mation to others, is that your executive or park com- 
mittee shall visit every densely built or slum district 
in your city or town. Make a note of the vacant 
pieces of property, their situation, size and proximity 
to dwelling houses. Let each member of your com- 
mittee make a note of the data thus secured and 
make inquiries regarding the ownership or the 
agency representing the properties noted in your 
tour. Ascertain if there is any prospect of such 
properties being sold or improved with buildings. 
If not, ask if you can use the property for a play- 
ground. Lease it, borrow it, buy it, but get it. 

"Then find out the location of all vacant pieces of 
property belonging in fee to your city or town. If 
you have no funds, or if your city has not the au- 
thority to equip recreation grounds, obtain permis- 
sion to have some kind of a playground there if only 
a sand garden, or with temporary buildings. You 
will be able to prove the value of a playground to 
the neighborhood, and something permanent will 
be the result. Do not be afraid of getting into 



politics. You will be in the midst of politics, but no 
man will say to you (a second time) : 'Your party 
helped you to give the children playgrounds, we will 
not do so.' 

"Do not attempt pictures or formal reports the 
first year, tell your friends or organizations that 
there are many more children and many more dis- 
tricts, for there always are such in need of 
playgrounds; tell them that fifty cents is the 
average cost per child. In after years the cost 
will be more — but not until you have vacation 
schools. One strong committee or club can take 
care of several playgrounds, but the interest 
will be increased more rapidly if after your first 
year's experience you call together the heads of the 
leading organizations and form a joint or represen- 
tative committee. 

"While you are exeprimenting with a school yard 
playground or a piece of land loaned to you, which 
has a house for shelter already upon it or upon 
which you have erected a tent or shed, you must 
have ascertained under what authority school boards 
or boards of control can give the use of school 
rooms or yards to individuals or associations dur- 
ing the summer months, and also whether they can 
make appropriations for the maintenance of such 
playgrounds. Also if you are so ambitious so early 
in your playground career as to plan for recreation 
parks, ascertain if there is a law permitting appro- 
priations for that purpose, and for securing or ac- 
quiring land for recreation purposes. You may 
find as we did in Pittsburg that some one had felt 
and thought for the children and that such a law 
exists. 

"In Pennsylvania the act of 1895 is clear and spe- 
cific, and under this law the Central Board of Edu- 

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cation of Pittsburg, a city of the second class, which 
is composed of representatives of the several school 
districts, makes an annual appropriation for the 
maintenance and equipment of playgrounds in school 
yards. 

"The money thus appropriated is paid to the treas- 
urer of the Playground Association by a warrant 
on the city treasurer. 

"The act provides 'for the opening, improvement, 
enlargement, use, care and protection of school 
and other grounds for public park and recreation 
purposes in the cities and boroughs of the common- 
wealth, by the joint and several action of school 
boards, city and borough authorities, corporations, 
societies, associations or individuals.'. It permits the 
use of school grounds for park and recreation pur- 
poses by the public. 

"It authorizes school boards to provide for the en- 
largement, improvement, care and protection of the 
school grounds when used for park ajtid recreation 
purposes by the public. They are also empowered 
to make arrangements with corporations, societies, 
associations or individuals for the lease, use or do- 
nation of property for public park or recreation 
purposes. 

"School systems vary so greatly in different states, 
even within the same state, that to advise any special 
form or suggest a draft of a law enabling school or 
city authorities to make these appropriations would 
not be of practical value. In Pennsylvania, for in- 
stance, local school boards in cities of the second 
class decide upon the amount of money they will 
need for the ensuing year. This millage is then 
reported to the Central Board of Education, and by 
it when approved sent to the city councils, and there 
it passes both branches of councils with the appro- 

28 



priation budgets from the several city departments. 
However, the amount cannot be added to or reduced 
by councils; in that matter the Central Board of 
Education is supreme. 

"About mid-winter an estimate is made by the 
executive board of the Playground Association as to 
the amount necessary for salaries, necessary im- 
provements and equipment for all of the recreation 
grounds in use during the preceding year, and for 
any additional grounds for the next year. This 
schedule is sent with the estimates from the city 
departments to the mayor, and if approved by him 
is referred to councils, then to the finance committee, 
and with or without change according to their 
action, is returned to councils, for final action. The 
mayor has the power to add to or to reduce the esti- 
mates presented to him so as to bring the total 
sum within the estimated revenues from taxation. 
Accounts payable from the appropriation made for 
recreation grounds, are paid by the city treasurer 
when countersigned by the treasurer of the Play- 
ground Association and approved by the city comp- 
troller. 

"In New Jersey the laws relating to the acquisi- 
tion and maintenance of recreation parks for cities 
and towns are very similar, but place them under the 
care of park commissioners, without reference to 
school authorities. 

"We do not think that the present law of the state 
of Ohio, touching the subject of recreation grounds 
and playgrounds and which is a part of the law de- 
fining the 'powers of municipalities' is adequate. 
The first division under 'special powers' refers to 
the appropriation of property and includes the power 
to appropriate property for parks, park entrances, 
boulevards, market-places and children's play- 

29 



grounds. The state regent of Ohio, Mrs. Edward 
Orton, has arranged to have a bill drafted pertain- 
ing to this subject for presentation to the Ohio 
legislature. 

"In the laws of Maryland we have only knowledge 
of the special act of 1906 relating to the city of Bal- 
timore, which provides that the mayor and city 
council of Baltimore are authorized to enter an 
agreement with the duly constituted officers of the 
Children's Playground Association for the mainte- 
nance of children's playgrounds in the city of Balti- 
more, for such length of time and upon such terms 
as the mayor and city council of Baltimore may 
deem advantageous. 

"Special legislation is not permitted under the con- 
stitution of all states, but where it is this seems to 
be a model it would be well to copy. 

"In Massachusetts the Act of 1893, relating to 
public playgrounds was found to be inadequate and 
an act was prepared 'to enlarge the powers of the 
school committee of the city of Boston in respect to 
physical education/ This act was signed by the 
governor April 13, of the present year 1907. 

"The act recently passed will be of inestimable 
value where there is no general state law governing 
the subject or no association formed for the pur- 
pose of conducting playgrounds and vacation 
schools. 

"The act enlarges the powers of the school com- 
mittee of the city of Boston in respect to physical 
education. 

"Within the limit of the appropriations for such 
purposes it may during the summer vacation and 
such other portion of the year as it may deem ad- 
visable, supervise, conduct, organize, and control 
physical training and exercise athletics, sports, 

30 



games and play, and provide proper apparatus, 
equipment and facilities for the same, in and upon 
the buildings, yards and playgrounds under the con- 
trol of said committee, or upon any other land which 
it may have the right to use for any such purpose. 
It may use for these purposes such of the play- 
grounds, gymnasia or buildings under the control of 
the park commission of said city as said school com- 
mittee may deem suitable therefor, and may equip 
the same therefor, such use to be subject, however, 
to such reasonable regulations and conditions as said 
park commission may prescribe. 

"Appropriations for these purposes are made in 
the same manner as for the support of the public 
schools and the total amount of the appropriations 
is increased for the current financial year by two 
cents upon each one thousand dollars of the valua- 
tion on which the appropriations of the city council 
are based, and by two cents additional, or four cents 
in all, for each subsequent year. 

"If in a town in the metropolitan parks district, or 
in any city, tenement buildings are built about or 
contiguous to open spaces, the owners of such build- 
ings may apply to the park commissioners and they 
may, with the approval of the board of health of the 
city or town, take a lease of such open spaces for a 
neighborhood playground for a term not exceeding 
fifteen years, subject to renewal, at a rental not ex- 
ceeding the taxes thereon. The owners of such 
buildings shall have the care and control thereof 
under the supervision of the board of park commis- 
sioners, or if there is none, of the selectmen. 

"In New York by the act of 1888, any fifteen or 
more persons of full age, who shall desire to asso- 
ciate themselves together for the purpose of provid- 
ing parks and playgrounds for children in any of 

31 




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the cities, towns or villages of the state, may become 
incorporated by filing a certificate of intention en- 
dorsed by one of the 'justices of the Supreme Court. 

"Over and above any amount appropriated by 
school boards or city councils additional funds will 
be required. With your temporary playground 
committee formed or your association organized and 
perhaps incorporated, you will send out letters ask- 
ing well known people who contribute to all worthy, 
and probably many unworthy objects. When you 
do this, send the same appeal to a large number — 
from three to five hundred — of less well known 
persons. 

"State clearly what one dollar will do for a child 
of the alley or court ; tell them that there are chil- 
dren who are not of that class, and yet whose lives 
are spent in the closely built up districts of the city. 
Tell them that small brick-paved or sun-baked 
squares in the midst of the grime and smoke of the 
city are not much to offer to the children, but that 
they come from court, from alley and cellar and 
from workshop, and in these playgrounds learn to 
cook, to sew, to saw, to plane, to play. Tell them 
how the children await you at the gates each morn- 
ing and how they love the story hour, the tiny bunch 
of flowers placed in each grimy hand on flower day, 
how they learn to 'salute the flag/ and to come with 
clean hands so that they may carry it unsullied. 

"You will receive many dollars and many five dol- 
lar contributions, and those will go very far towards 
the amount you must secure from private sources. 
No matter how much money you receive from ap- 
propriations, always pay the expenses of adminis- 
tration from your private funds. In the beginning 
do not say much about the educational side of the 
playground question. It is, we know, the impor- 

33 



tant side, but it is not that which will appeal to your 
prospective contributors and supporters. 

"People in general are not interested in modern 
theories of education as applied to the child out- 
side of the public and parochial schools. Keep the 
interest through the child, the child you are trying 
to make happier and better. Tell them you want to 
take each child to the country for one day, to let 
him see the green fields and trees and flowers. We 
advise excursions for one summer. The first sum- 
mer there is nothing that appeals so strongly to the 
woman taking her own bairns to the country or sea- 
side or to the man in his office as the thought of the 
countless thousands shut in between grimy walls 
and smoke stacks. The playground excursion to 
out of town parks or private places is perhaps the 
best method of placing your playground before the 
public. It is a good news item and makes interest- 
ing pictures. 

"Appeal to the sentiment in every heart. Have 
your flower day and library day. Have the Daugh- 
ters of the American Revolution give you your play- 
ground flags, and have them teach the children the 
flag salute. Realize in the beginning that the ma- 
jority of people have so many cares and interests 
that they do not know or have forgotten the world 
of children in which you are interested, but tell 
them about them. As the interest increases, tell 
your contributors how necessary it is to give the 
older children occupation, tell them of your sewing 
classes on cellar doors, of the story hour beneath the 
shadow of the wall. In another year add your 
manual training and physical training departments, 
for your contributors will have increased and the 
constituents will have told their representatives in 
school boan ! and council that they want the play- 

34 




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OCT 30 1908 



grounds. Do not as an association give entertain- 
ments to augment your funds. If other organiza- 
tions wish to make money and give it as a contribu- 
tion, permit them to do so, but you are to receive 
and administer the funds appropriated or given 
to you. 

"One of the most important things for you to do 
is to secure the interest of your councilmen and city 
officials. Do not deluge them with reports, which 
they will not read, statistics which are only figures, 
but ask the man who represents the ward in which 
you have or wish to have a playground or recrea- 
tion park, to go with you to see the ground and the 
children — the children he may have known only as 
noisy nuisances. 

"When you have your first work established, your 
playgrounds open for at least a five or six weeks' 
term each summer and a law enacted making appro- 
priations possible, invite your councilmen, school 
directors and city officials to meet with the members 
of your association. Formal invitations will not 
bring the men you want, ask them personally, and 
as a personal favor. Have at least one speaker of 
note present to make an address on a subject per- 
taining to your work. Then let your own officers 
tell briefly what you have done, why such work is 
needed and what is hoped for. The seed sown at 
such a meeting will result in a good harvest. 

"It was Phillips Brooks who said: 'He who helps 
a child helps humanity with a distinctness, with an 
immediateness, which no other help given to human 
creatures in any other stage of their human life 
can possibly give again.' " 



36 



